Message for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

 The Most Rev. Hyginus Kim Hee-joong, President of the CBCK Committee for Promoting Christian Unity & Interreligious Dialogue, issued a message for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (January 18-25, 2007), in accordance with the theme of "He even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak" (Mk 7:37), which was originally the title of the Resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and throughout the Year (2007), (hereafter Resources) jointly prepared by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches.

 Bishop Kim said, "Jesus, who promised that He will always be with us until the end of the age, wants all Christians to serve Him together through the Holy Spirit, whom He poured in us, and to 'make disciples of all nations' (Mt 28:19) to the end of the world."

 Bishop Kim said that the theme of this year's Week of Prayer for Christian Unity could be summarized as "the evangelical passion and the responsibility in solidarity". He explained that "the theme is, on the one hand, about the postulate for the spiritual passion to come together for common prayer, and, on the other hand, also about an invitation to the common response to the pain, from which the modern humanity suffers." As a matter of fact, this was expounded in the Resources as follows: "This year's Week of Prayer for Christian Unity brings together two themes, two invitations extended to Christian churches and people: to pray and strive for Christian unity, and to join together in responding to human suffering. These two responsibilities are deeply interwined. Both relate to healing the body of Christ, hence the principal text chosen for this year's week of prayer is a story of healing." (3)

 In conclusion, bishop Kim asked the Catholic faithful to practice two things. Firstly, he said that the Catholic faithful should ask our Lord to make our ears open to various voices urging the Christian unity. Secondly, he urged that the voice asking the Christian unity should continue in our inner conversion to feel the pain and needs of other people and, in the end, to help them.

 On January 23, 2007, 7pm, the CBCK Committee for Promoting Christian Unity & Interreligious Dialogue will have an annual common prayer meeting with the National Council of Churches in Korea at Sudong Church (Anglican) in the city of Cheongju.